Look, the BA thing has been done a lot in other threads. There's much to be critical of and I dont want to use this thread to bash Jake who most with any brain at all agree is in the team because of his father.
The thing I'm really concerned about is Dylan Brown's development and BA has a lot to answer for here as well.
When Dylan came into our side in 2018 , most would agree he was an immediate upgrade on a seasoned first grader in Norman. He had deft touch, could square up the defensive line and hada developing running game. Our win % with him in the team went up straight away and he really fit in as the number 2 half in the team. He was seen by many good judges as one of the most promising young halves in the game.
Fast forward to 2021 and there are people who are saying hes an out and out centre?.. Why is this? A few weeks ago when Jake came into the side for Mitch, Brad said it was Jake's job to steer the team around (yes we all know hes no where near that level) and Dylan needs to just run the ball and concentrate on his running game. How terrible is it for Dylan's development that he's being played as an undersized backrower? After near 50 first grade teams it was a prime opportunity for Dylan to step up into a more prominent role in the halves and control the play. Andrew Johns and Freddy were calling for him to get the ball off quick play the balls and step up into more of a ball playing role tonight against the Roosters. Brad has said thats not his job. He's become 1 dimensional.
For all the knocks on BA (and there are absolutely plenty) and for all his ability to get guys to maximise their effort and effort players to maximise their potential.. he cant coach the skill players within our structure. Dylan has been mismanaged. Joey helps with skill development but whats the point if Dylan doesnt get to use these skills in games and is a 10/10 defensive half who runs the ball like a backrower all night?
This needs fixing ASAP before we completely stifle him to the point where he's better off somewhere else. We all know who BA has waiting in the wings and thats best not to think about.
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Browns ball skills have gone backwards . Some terrible passes tonight and some ordinary kicking . Joeys record working with halves isn't great .
BA is good at making forward return to their best footy of running hard. Probabaly because it doesn't require tactics and a brain. Just effort. But when it comes to applying skills, he is hopeless. He is slowly locking away the ball playing ability of Jnr Paulo, N Brown, Matto (when have you seen Matto ball play (So much for being a junior half) and Carty (if he gets minutes). Hence, why when you see our halves and team attack, it looks so ordinary.
Dylan can step up when the games on the line but he dosnt
I blame dylan
BA has to cope some of the blame but so does Dylan he's said it himself he tunes out and footy is something he does I don't think he has that killer attitude and desire to own the moment
Dylan's best ability is running the ball, playing direct and squaring the defence up. But does BA's game plan allow for his skills to flourish? FUCK NOOOOO!!!!!!
Running the Ball
Firstly, Dylan doesn't ge the opportunity to run the ball in good times. Our play the ball speed is so slow, so we rarely have the opprtunity to play over the advantage line. If we do get quick play the balls, Dylan does not get the ball. We spread the ball wide with our predicable slow shape. Our set plays are so predicable and slow that many times you see the backrower or half already jamming in on Gutho or JA. The same predicable shape means all defenders can focus on D Brown because all other threats are easily covered by our predicable attack. Therefore, Dylan just takes the tackles and no threat is offered. Secondly when Dylan runs the ball, everyone is so slow and there is no decoys around him to help create deception for Dylan to power through the line. We play so slowly. Watch the souths attack. It is does with such precision and speed.
Direct and Squaring the Defence.
Dylan is the only player in the team that squares the defensive line. N Brown, Moses, Gutho all run side ways which gives us no space or threat. In Dylan first season, he would do this role so well. But he has vanished from the role. Honestly believe, Dylan has the potential to be great. But he is young and is completely wasted by BA.
Halfback
Dylan is not a footy head, and honestly cannot see him being a halfback any time soon. His future is at five-eight. Just hope BA gets sacked so we have a game plan that actually uses his strength. Everyone who is calling him to be a centre is correct. He would be a gun centre, but he still have the potential to be a great five-eight. Unfortunately, BA's gameplan means his ability is reduced to a centre like position. In the NRL, it is imposible for a young half to create tries. When your teams attack is so slow and boring, you have no chance. It is not ud8's we it can be a one man team. Unless your Hayne of 09, you need your team to attack effectively.
If there is a new coach next year, I hope to see our defensive systems improved which will allow Dylan to shift to his prefered left edge and Moses back to the right. Right now we need dylan defence on the right even though his attacking game is far superior on the left.
Dylan brown would look like a million dollar player at the roosters. Forwards and backs there understand how to run outside in lines and generally at holes, matterson would be lucky if he's hit a hole twice this year, id say if Brown was on the left and had papalii outside him he would look much better.
Yep.
Andrew Johns & BA must never speak to each other. Johns' commentary tonight sounded like he was roasting the halves which is pretty funny considering his role with the club. Was he actually trying to get a message through to BA?
"... The halves need to take control, everything they do is too slow and predictable, their set plays are poor, Dylan Brown needs to step up..." etc, etc.
The most telling comment I think came just after Fittler stated that the Eels were crumbling. Joey commented something like "... I wonder what Mitchell Moses is thinking if he's at the game tonight. Can somebody get Jonathan Thurston to see if he can spot Mitchell down there and ask him if he's ok to play next week..."
It is an interesting one. Joey teaches the halves about their kciking game, when to run, what to look for etc. But I doubt Joey has any influence on the game plan and shapes we throw. I doubt Joey does drill with the halves when the full team are trying out their set plays. So even if we have great halves, if the game plan and shape you have is poor, your halves cannot do much. We barely use decoys, we play so slowly, we look clunky and very predicatable. If you look at the storm, all their players play with precision and speed, they run into holes and with a variety of set plays. The number of times for us Arthur just fell on the floor because Tuipinou could read the play was hilarious. The half didnt even have to react. It was so shit, slow and predicable that a 4 in defender read it from dummy half.
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